Master the Attack Pick and Roll: Beating the Hard Hedge
In modern basketball, the Pick and Roll (PnR) is your bread and butter, but elite defenses will try to disrupt your rhythm with a "hard hedge." This drill is designed for guards and wings who need to sharpen their ball-handling and scoring finesse when facing aggressive trap defenses. You will learn to navigate tight spaces, punish the defense for over-committing, and finish efficiently with both hands to become a true triple-threat scorer.
How to Perform This Drill
- Setup: Place a chair or cone at the top of the key or wing to simulate your screener, and a second marker slightly higher and wider to represent the defender hedging hard.
- Initiate: Start with the ball in a triple-threat position, then drive hard off the imaginary screen, ensuring you rub shoulders with the chair to leave no gap for your defender.
- Stretch the Hedge: As you encounter the second marker (the hedge), take two aggressive dribbles away from the basket to drag the defender out and create spacing.
- Turn the Corner: Plant your outside foot and explode downhill to split the defense or turn the corner before the hedging defender can recover.
- Finish: Attack the rim and execute a finish—layup, floater, or pull-up jumper—alternating between your left and right hands on every rep.
- Repetition: Make five successful shots starting from the right side, then switch and make five shots from the left side.
Why This Drill Works
This drill bridges the gap between static practice and chaotic game reality. By forcing you to "stretch" the hedge, you learn to manipulate the defense's positioning, creating passing lanes or driving angles that wouldn't exist otherwise. It develops the crucial court awareness required to handle pressure without picking up your dribble, ensuring you remain a scoring threat even when two defenders commit to the ball. Mental reps here are key; you are training your reaction time to recognize the defensive coverage instantly.
Pro Tips
- Change of Pace: Do not play at one speed. Lull the defender to sleep as you stretch the hedge, then hit the gas instantly to attack their outside hip.
- Stay Low: Your shoulder level should be lower than the defender's hips. The lower player wins the leverage battle and maintains better balance through contact.
- Protect the Ball: When splitting or turning the corner, keep the ball on your outside hip away from the hedging big man’s reach to prevent strips.
- Eyes Up: Even though you are scoring in this drill, keep your chin on your shoulder and eyes up to simulate scanning for the roller or a kick-out option.